We ironed out egos: Gallagher

KIERAN CUNNINGHAM ULSTER teams on a mission are dangerous. That was the case with Armagh and Tyrone in the noughties, and Donegal a decade later.

And we saw it with Tyrone again last summer.

Now it’s Derry who seem ultra focused - and it will be hard to knock them off their path. Is that Rory Gallagher’s impression too?

“I definitely wouldn’t have felt that in the early part. It was more of a patch up job and sometimes you were wondering what you’d let yourself in for,’’ he said.

“But the return from Covid in September 2020... that was a fresh start for us. It also coincided with Conor Glass coming back from Australia and that was massive for us.

“We feel we are on a mission now, it took me a while to realise how good the players are.”

Gallagher lived for many years in Killybegs. His boss and close friend is Michael ‘Cook’ Byrne from Glencolmcille in Donegal, the owner of 3D Personnel, who are thriving in the construction industry.

Gallagher is an account manager in Derry, and also spends time in the office in Dublin but is thoroughly enjoying his time with the Oak Leaf footballers.

“Derry players were always good but they didn’t commit enough to being a team together. We have a very strong management view that... it’s not a dictatorship but you take your advice on board because that’s in the best interests of the team,” he said.

“There was too much individual ego before and we ironed that out. Some of them came through it, some aren’t there now.

“Derry people are different to what I thought they were. They’re not as harsh or ignorant as what I encountered when I was playing St Pat’s, Maghera!”

WORK Gallagher pictured at office in Dublin this week